Big Concerts, in association with KFM, have announced that Michael Learns To Rock will be performing four concerts from March 26 to April 2 in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and PE. Rather bring us their teachers!

When is his Royal Bobness coming to SA?
22 March 1999 The first big concert of '99, featuring a full international bill, has been announced. Peter Stuyvesant Productions present "The Big Nite Out", promoted by Big Concerts and featuring Prodigy, Faithless, DJs Heavy G (Australia) and Sister Bliss. At this stage it is certain that the Springbok Nude Girls will grab the prestigious support slot on this international bill. You can catch this extravagan.za in Durban (March 20 at the Kings Park outer fields), Cape Town (March 22 at the Belville Velodrome) or Johannesburg (March 24 at the MTN Sundome).

The Nude Girls have taken their January break and are set to begin their national tour. This will run from February into March and after supporting the Prodigy/Faithless bill, the Nudies will headline at the Rand Easter Rock Festival on March 27th. The Nude Girls are set to begin recording their new album and have secured the services of producer Kevin Shirley to handle the album. Shirley, who is an ex-South African, has moved up in the producer charts after his work on albums by The Black Crowes, Aerosmith and Silverchair.

Big Concerts, in association with KFM, have announced that Michael Learns To Rock will be performing four concerts from March 26 to April 2 in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and P.E. Rather bring us their teachers!

Sarah Brightman, who went from losing her heart to a Starship Trooper to losing her heart to Andrew Lloyd Webber, will sing all her famous 'numbers' from 'Cats', 'Phantom Of The Opera' and 'Aspects Of Love'. She will be making just two appearances - Sun City on Saturday March 13 and the Belville Velodrome in Cape Town on Wednesday March 17 - so get your tickets now if she's your bag.

And finally, unconfirmed reports claim that that the greatest musical artist of the 20th Century (always wanted to say that!) will be appearing in SA in April. Yip, Bob Dylan could possibly be making his long-awaited SA debut this year, and, another whisper mentions Van Morrison on the same bill. Van Morrison's latest album, 'Back On Top' will be released in SA in March, preceded by the first single off the album, 'Precious Times'.

The '99 live roster begins to take shape
22 February 1999 The first big concert of '99, featuring a full international bill, has been announced. Peter Stuyvesant Productions present "The Big Nite Out", promoted by Big Concerts and featuring Prodigy, Faithless, DJs Heavy G (Australia) and Sister Bliss. At this stage it is certain that the Springbok Nude Girls are certain to grab the prestigious support slot on this international bill. You can catch this extravagan.za in Durban (March 20 at the Kings Park outer fields), Cape Town (March 22 at the Belville Velodrome) or Johannesburg (March 24 at the MTN Sundome).

 The Nude Girls have taken their January break and are set to begin their national tour. This will run from February into March and after supporting the Prodigy/Faithless bill, the Nudies will headline at the Rand Easter Rock Festival on March 27th. The Nude Girls are set to begin recording their new album and have secured the services of producer Kevin Shirley to handle the album. Shirley, who is an ex-South African, has moved up in the producer charts after his work on albums by The Black Crowes, Aerosmith and Silverchair.

Big Concerts, in association with KFM, have announced that Michael Learns To Rock will be performing four concerts from March 26 to April 2 in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and P.E. Rather bring us their teachers!

Sarah Brightman, who went from losing her heart to a Starship Trooper to losing her heart to Andrew Lloyd Webber, will sing all her famous 'numbers' from 'Cats', 'Phantom Of The Opera' and 'Aspects Of Love'. She will be making just two appearances - Sun City on Saturday March 13 and the Belville Velodrome in Cape Town on Wednesday March 17 - so get your tickets now if she's your bag.

And finally, unconfirmed reports claim that that the greatest musical artist of the 20th Century (always wanted to say that!) will be appearing in SA in June. Yip, Bob Dylan could possibly be making his long-awaited SA debut this year, and, another whisper mentions Van Morrison on the same bill. Van Morrison's latest album, 'Back On Top' will be released in SA in March, preceeded by the first single off the album, 'Precious Times'.

Have some faith!
8 February 1999 The first big concert, featuring a full international bill, has been announced. Peter Stuyvesant Productions present "The Big Nite Out", promoted by Big Concerts and featuring Prodigy, Faithless DJs Heavy G (Australia) and Sister Bliss with an as yet unannounced South African support band. The SA artists mentioned as possible inclusions on this prestigious bill include Springbok Nude Girls, Battery 9, Fetish and Anti Gravity. Watch this space for details.

Other names soon to be appearing on SA stages include Sarah Brightman and the successful new pop band, Michael Learns To Rock.

One of the world's greatest music festivals, WOMAD (A World Of Music, Arts And Dance) will take place over three days in Benoni from 12-14 February. Among the other acts appearing at the Bluegum Creek Estate in Benoni will be the Irish group Hothouse Flowers, Baaba Maal, Jackson Browne, Drummers Of Burundi and the UK agit-prop group Fundamental. South Africa will be represented by Johnny Clegg and Juluka, Just Jinger, Ringo and Boom Shaka. The Springbok Nude Girls, Just Jinger and Amersham will join sizzling hot newcomers, Boo!, Plum, The Led and Fetish.

SA Music Up The Creek?
1 February 1999 With its stated intention of exposing the current global diversity of music and dance, WOMAD are thrilled to add the name of Baaba Maal to their line up. One of the world's greatest music festivals, WOMAD (A World Of Music, Arts And Dance) will take place over three days in Benoni from 12-14 February. Among the other acts appearing at the Bluegum Creek Estate in Benoni will be the Irish group Hothouse Flowers, Drummers Of Burundi and the UK agit-prop group Fundamental. South Africa will be represented by Johnny Clegg and Juluka, Just Jinger, Ringo and Boom Shaka (among others).

This past weekend (Friday 29 to Sunday 31 January) saw the 19th annual Savanna 'Up The Creek' festival happening on the banks of the Breede River. The headlining acts included the Springbok Nude Girls, Blues Broers, Koos Kombuis, Fetish, Wonderboom, Honeymoon Suites, Van der Want and Letcher, Firing Squad, Ras Tamie, Dorp and Colorfields.

Hothouse Flowers will also hopefully be doing a few concerts in Cape Town after WOMAD. At this stage, besides Helmut Lotti, there have still been no announcements as to which artists we can expect in SA during 1999. But we should start hearing soon which stars will be gracing our stages this year.

GoMad @ WOMAD (in Benoni?)
18 January 1999 One of the world's greatest music festivals, WOMAD (A World Of Music, Arts And Dance), will take place over three days in Benoni from 12-14 February. Among the more interesting acts appearing at the Bluegum Creek Estate in Benoni will be the Irish group Hothouse Flowers, Drummers Of Burundi and the UK agit-prop group Fundamental. South Africa will be represented by Johnny Clegg and Juluka, Just Jinger, Ringo and Boom Shaka (among others).

Hothouse Flowers will also possibly be doing a few concerts in Cape Town after WOMAD. At this stage, besides Helmut Lotti, there have been no announcements as to which artists we can expect in SA during 1999. Watch this space.


Synergy '98 New Year blast at the River Club
21 December 1998 The Jazz Africa Festival, which ended on a successful note with a big open-air concert in the Company Gardens in Cape Town on Wednesday 16 December, featured performances by the Senegalese crooner, Ismael Lo, Hugh Masekela, Moses Taiwa Molelekwa, Errol Dyers, and Trans.Sky with reggae poet, Lesogo Rampolokeng. It also included workshops and other educational facilities all geared to heighten awareness of African music and its jazz roots. The festival was presented by the Contemporary African Music and Arts Archive (CAMA) at the University of Cape Town and they were assisted by the Rockefeller Foundation (which isn't Fatboy Slim's rhythm section!).

Boyz II Men (insert relevant Michael Jackson joke here.) will be touring South Africa and performing in Cape Town on Wednesday, 9 December. You know who they are and what they do, so make your own decisions.
 
Belgian tenor Helmut Lotti will be touring South Africa in February 1999 and will be performing with a full orchestra and choir in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein.


Boom Shaka impress as Jackson's support and Hootie reschedules
30 November 1998 SA kwaito group Boom Shaka supported Janet Jackson on her arena tour of South Africa and had the critics and fans frothing at the mouth from their sensual and rhythmic performance. They didn't blow Ms Jackson off the stage (who could?), but attracted a lot of attention from the overseas spectators at these well attended and visually overpowering concerts. The other supporting acts were SA reggae group Dr Victor and new UK soul sensation, Lynden David Hall.

Damn The Icebergs are a new Gauteng band who have moved on from the exuberance, heavy guitar and drums of their first album 'Dances With Snakes" and will now be showcasing their new bluesy/jazzy songs with an indie concert at the Observatory at Wits University on December 5.

Durban folk fans are hereby reminded about the wonderful 'Don't Tune Us We'll Tune You' musical feast which opens its run at the Kwasuka Theatre in Stamford Hill Road from November 24 to December 6. This show features three of the finest musicians in the country, namely Tananas' guitarist Steve Newman, guitarist Tony Cox of 'Cool Friction' and 'Living In Zim' fame and master-flautist Chris Tokalon.

Hootie and his "Fish-pals" will be touring SA, despite press releases to the contrary. They will however only be playing one show in Cape Town on December 14 and it has been moved from the Three Arts Arena in Plumstead to the gigantic Belville Velodrome. Book your 'Musical Chairs' now.

Belgian tenor Helmut Lotti will be touring South Africa in February 1999 and will be performing with a full orchestra and choir in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein.

Don't tune us about Dakota Moon
22 November 1998 Ever heard of Dakota Moon? Didn't think so. They are a new American group who look like an R&B act but have their own pop-rock sound with a taste of country-rock. Gallo Records will be bringing this acclaimed black group to SA for some private performances but if you keep your ears open, you may get to sneak into one of these shows. Or wait for their official tour in 1999.

Folk fans in Durban can catch the wonderful 'Don't Tune Us We'll Tune You' musical feast when it opens its run at the Kwasuka Theatre in Stamford Hill Road from November 24 to December 6. This show features three of the finest musicians in the country, namely Tananas' guitarist Steve Newman, guitarist Tony Cox of 'Cool Friction' and 'Living In Zim' fame and master-flautist Chris Tokalon.

Hootie and his "Fish-pals" will open their SA tour with a special early evening concert at Kloofendal on Saturday 12th December. They will follow this with a concert in Cape Town at the Three Arts on Monday 14th December. Book your 'Musical Chairs' now.

Belgian tenor Helmut Lotti will be touring South Africa in February 1999 and will be performing with a full orchestra and choir in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein. Watch this column for further details.

Janet Jackson has arrived in SA, met Nelson Mandela, and will now be performing in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town in mid-November and ticket sales are reputed to be hot so don't wait too long.

Hootie, Lotti and the Spier of the nation
16 November 1998 The recent Kenny G/George Benson double bill received glowing reviews from all concerned, as did the Chris de Burgh, sans Michael Bolton, concert at the re-scheduled and ridiculously huge Belville Velodrome. Janet Jackson will be in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town in mid-November and ticket sales are reputed to be hot so don't wait too long.

The "Stages Of Love" AIDS Gala Benefit concert will be held at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre on Sunday 8th November. The show will be hosted by Barry Ronge and the appearing artists will be backed by the National Arts Philharmonic Orchestra Pretoria under the baton of Graham Scott.

Among the artists appearing will be Lionel Bastos, Vusi Mahlasela, Sandra Prinsloo, Ringo and Yvonne Chaka Chaka. The song penned specifically for this show by Lionel Bastos, 'Let It Be Love", will be performed by all these leading artists.

Legendary SA folk icon Jeremy Taylor is currently singing 'Ag Pleeze Daddy" to his many fans in Australia.

Hootie and his "Fish-pals" will open their SA tour with a special early evening concert at Kloofendal on Saturday 12th December. They will follow this with a concert in Cape Town at the Three Arts on Monday 14th December. Book your 'Musical Chairs' now.

If you are a fan of the 28-year old Belgian tenor Helmut Lotti, then the good news is that this European singing sensation will be touring South Africa in February 1999 and will be performing with a full orchestra and choir in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein. Watch this column for further details, or maybe not…

Spier Estate, the popular wine farm just near Stellenbosch, is again hosting the "Spier Summer Festival" in their cool little amphitheatre from November to March 1999. Names to watch out for include David Helfgott, the piano genius who was so brilliantly portrayed in the Oscar-winning film 'Shine'. Now fully over the traumas that plagued his early life, Helfgott will probably not be performing that Rachmaninov piece that initially tipped him over his mental cliff. Also appearing will be Chaya Alberstein, the renowned Israeli songstress, and the Bandit Beatles who do a full Beatles concert impersonation. I caught the similar "ABBA" show last year and if one suspends belief (and we have lots of practice living in SA these days), these shows can be great fun. For more details go to: http://www.spier.co.za/

Massive Attack, Janet Jackson and, um, Steve Wright?
8 November 1998 There's always a decent SA band playing in a venue near you, regardless of where you live (except if you're in the Karoo, of course). The current crop of SA rock bands has accepted the challenge and is now determined to contribute to their album sales by gigging at every and any opportunity. Some of these bands have CDs to promote, some are showcasing their new material, either way, it is your sacred obligation to support these bands by going to the gigs and buying their CDs.

Among the bands currently treading the SA rock stages are Dorp, Sugardrive (whose upcoming new album is highly anticipated), punk-partiers Scabbie Annie, Robin Walsh, Fetish and Sons Of Trout.

Fetish, the very highly rated SA rock band are currently wowing audiences all around SA with their cool tunes and charismatic vocalist, Michelle Breeze. Fetish are finishing off the Western Cape leg of their tour and dates in Durban, Post Elizabeth and Pretoria are on the cards, so keep an eye on this column and this exciting new band.

Luther Vandross recently wowed the Cape Town audience at his Green Point stadium concert. Next up is the George Benson / Kenny G double bill in mid-October. Another tour to SA has been cancelled at the last moment and although that is a crappy state of affairs (as with the Smashing Pumpkins disaster), in this case it is only Michael Bolton who cancelled so Chris de Burgh will now appear on his lonesome at the Belville Vel0drome.

Janet Jackson, sister of the more famous Jermaine Jackson, will be performing her high-voltage stage show in SA soon. She will be giving one-off concerts in Cape Town (Green Point Stadium 14 November), Durban (The Stadium 18 November) and finally Johannesburg (Ellis Park 21 November).

Massive Attack has finished wowing our local "dub-hop" fans with their futuristic brand of eclectic sounds, awesome light show and big phat beats. They were ably supported by Trans.Sky, who can only have benefited from this national exposure. The 'Massives' have shown that there is a strong market in SA for this type of music (an extra show was added in Cape Town because the music fans down south are far cooler than anywhere else in SA). We hope other similar bands like Underworld, Chemical Brothers, Prodigy and Leftfield are taking notice.

Also, although he cannot be classified as a music artist, comedian Steve Wright will soon be touring SA and you are all urged to catch this droll, dead-pan and extremely funny show when it wends it's way to your neck of the woods. Known as the man who teaches birds to levitate or the dog-owner who named his dog "Stay" ("Fetch Stay, sit Stay" etc), this show is highly recommended.

Watch out too for the official launch of the 'Future Sound Of Cape Town' CD which includes some of the hottest trance sounds and artists from "Table Mountain Town". This launch will take place at Longkloof Studios on Saturday, 31 October

Ticketweb (http://www.ticketweb.co.za) is the new online booking agency in South Africa, aiming to give Computicket a run for their money. Try them next time you need a ticket for any show in SA.

For more SA concert info, check out the Gig Guide at: http://www.gig-guide.co.za

As summer approaches...
October  1998 The Soweto String Quartet's first album, 'Zebra Crossing', has been given an American release on the RCA Victor label due to the band's global popularity and the handy sales back home. To celebrate, BMG organised a few SSQ concerts at the Baxter in Cape Town, aided and supported by another of our potentially big international exports, Vusi Mahlasela. The SSQ's violin versions of all those old SA tunes may not be everyone's cup of Rooibos but their exposure in the USA can only open doors for other SA artists.

Tananas are back to their original line-up with Ian Herman on drums, Steve Newman on guitar and Gito Baloi back on bass after two decent solo albums. They toured recently with support band Naked. That's Kaolin Thompson's band now on the Fresh label.

Summer approaches as does Christmas, so expect a slew of new albums and promotional tours from our rock boys including Dorp, Sugardrive (high expectations for their follow-up to the essential 'Sand. Man. Sky.), Amersham, Blunt, Anti Gravity, Supernature, Nine, Bullet, Scabbie Annie, Lithium and Trans Sky.

Big names headed our way include Massive Attack in early October (cheers), Luther Vandross in late September (puzzled shrugs), George Benson and Kenny G in October (drooping eyelids), Michael Bolton sometime (I dash off a letter to Barry Manilow saying all is forgiven as I strap myself with explosives and await Mike's arrival on our shores) and Chris de Burgh (no comment). But I have heard rumblings and rumours about the possibility of a double-header tour in December by the Mr Burns and Homer Simpson (with a bad wig) of the rock world!

Attack'in SA
10 September  1998 A lot of big international acts have been mentioned as possibilities for SA tours later in the year. We already know about George Benson and Kenny G, Michael Bolton, Chris de Burgh and Massive Attack, but with all the talk out there, we will only release news of new tours when they are confirmed. As with the ill-fated Smashing Pumpkins tour, nothing is ever definite so we can only hope that the other mentioned acts actually arrive.

Go to Massive Attack's official website for more info.

For all you clubbers out there, Elle magazine and AE Productions will be sponsoring "The J-Exchange and Free Clothing Sounds Of Paris vs Sounds Of London" dance spectacular during September.

Featuring France's Charles Schilling and Pro-Zak Trax's Aleem against Britain's Sharp boys, this "contest" will be played out in Cape Town at the Boiler on 4th September, 330 Point Road in Durban on 5th September and finally in Johannesburg at the Park Station on Saturday 12th September. For further details, email Kim Saville Promotions at ksp@iafrica.com

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